Hula hoop spinner toy



July 19, 1960 c. K.RHODES HULA HOOP SPINNER TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 51, 1959 INVENTOR July 19, 1960 c. K. RHODES HULA HOOP SPINNER TOY 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed March 31, 1959 INVENTOR Charleshfillhodes Unite States Patent Ofitice 2,945,319 Patented July 19, 1960 HULA HOOP SPINNER TOY Charles K. Rhodes, 1129 Acton Road, Columbus 24, Ohio Filed Mar. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 803,196

2 Claims. (Cl. 46-47) This invention relates to a hula hoop spinner toy.

It is an object of the invention to provide a mechanical toy which can be operated by hand with little practice to keep a spinning ring rotating about a toy figure.

It is another object of the invention to provide a hand operated toy depicting the motion of a hula hoop.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a toy which requires skill for the operation of the same comparable to the skill necessary to maintain a hula hoop in motion on ones person.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hula hoop which promotes coordination-exercise and is fun for the participant.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a hula hoop spinner toy having the above objects in mind, which is of simple construction, easy to assemble, inexpensive to manufacture, of pleasing appearance, durable, efiicient and eifective in use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken generally on line 1--1 of Fig. 2, with illustration made as to the forward and rearward motion of the hand operating member and the toy figure,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the toy with the hoop in place,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary and vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the'figures, represents a hollow base closed by a bottom member 11 with rubber feet thereon. At one end of the base 10 is elongated slot 13 with which a bracket 14 is fixed to the underside of the top of the base, and aligned and to which there is pivotally connected a lever 15 by means of a pivot pin 16. This lever 15 can pivot in a fore and aft direction in the slot 13. The upper end of the lever 15 has two upwardly-extending projections 17 and 18 adapted to penetrate respectively the legs of a figure toy body 19. This body has a waist portion 20 about which a plastic hoop 21 is extended to be worked and spun about by the toy with fore and aft pivotal movement of the lever 15. The projections 17 and 18 are substantial so that there is little opportunity for the figure 19 to be displaced therefrom as is best seen in Fig. 3.

On the opposite end of the base 10 is an elongated slot 22 and a bracket 23 depending from the underside of the top of the base on which a hand operating lever 24 is pivotally connnected by a pin 25 and has a round handle 26 extending upwardly from the top of the base which is grasped and worked in a fore and aft manner to maintain the hoop upon the body of the toy figure 19. The lower end of the lever 24 is connected by a pin 27 and a connecting rod or link 28 extending longitudinally through the base 10 to the lever 15 having the figure toy and a pin 29. A tension spring 30 is connected at 31 to the lever 15 below the pivot 16 and is anchored at its other end to a bracket 32 fixed to the underside of the top of the base 10. This spring tends to move the handle 26 and the toy 19 to the full line position shown in Fig. 1 upon the handle 26 being released by the hand. Upon the handle 26 being pulled forwardly to move the handle and the toy figure to the dotted line position as shown in Fig. 1 the action will be against the spring.

To place the toy in operation the plastic hoop 21 is placed around the waist 20 of the figure. The hoop is held with the right hand by the operator and is given a clockwise spin so that it rolls around the waist of the figure. The operators right hand is then moved to the handle 26 of the operating lever 24. A back and forth movement of the hand moves the connecting rod 28 and the figure 19 for and aft which will tend to maintain the hoop in spinning motion about the figure. If the movement of the figure is timed perfectly with the spinning of the hoop, the hoop will continue to roll around the waist of the figure and with little practice and skill this can be accomplished. The spring 30 facilitates the smooth operation of the toy and retains the figure at the upright and aft position when not operating. With a little practice one soon learns the rhythm and coordination necessary to keep the hoop spinning around the toy figure.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it shall be. understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A simulated hula hoop spinner toy, comprising, a base, said base having spaced elongated slots, a lever pivoted in one of said slots for fore and aft pivotal movement, a toy figure connected to the lever and extending upwardly from the base, a second lever pivoted in the other slot and having a handle thereon, a link rod pivotally connecting the lower ends of the levers so that the handle lever may work the figure lever and a plastic simulated hula hoop extended about said toy figure to be maintained in spinning motion upon fore and aft movement of the handle and the figure.

2. A hula hoop spinner toy as defined in claim 1, and a tension spring connected between the toy figure lever and the base to normally return the figure to its upright and aft position upon release of the handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 232,699 Eddy Sept. 28, 1880 

